The Last of Our Secrets
by klcm
Summary: When Morgan and Garcia are kidnapped after a bad case and see no escape, they find themselves bleeding their hearts dry, letting out memories and secrets, when the biggest of all is spoken they are torn apart, plunged into the probable end.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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It's always the threat of life that makes strong men break. It's always the threat of life that makes strong willed women break. At the end of the day, it's the threat of life that makes everyone equal counterparts in God's so called creation of life.

It's the times when you're alone and the threat of life is on the verge of swinging into gone that minds loosen and having no last regrets begin to plague the mind. It's time like that that one wants to clear the air, build stronger connections with another, let slip moments of the past.

For these two lost souls, the moments of truth and honesty felt beckoning for a while, now as they sat back to back, bound tightly, the heart of the matter needed to be said and as the three significant and potentially detrimental words slipped from his lips he knew it had to be said. Little did he know that once she had reciprocated he would never see her again.

Pulled away from one another they had no regrets that the last of their secrets were shared with the one they loved the most.

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**A/N: **So there's the prologue! Let me know what you think!

I understand it's another story but my muse loves this one! I've nearly completed it and lately I'm going with my muse and a certain motivator that I couldn't do without anymore!

So with her lovely pushy nature to write, write, write what the muse spouts this was born and is going well!

As for the others, I've lost the plot, distractions from all angles have pushed them away from my urge to write, new stories are working better!

But enjoy this and let me know!


	2. The Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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'Garcia with Morgan, the rest of us in the other SUV.' Hotch said leaving the building as they made their way out of the police department.

'Why?'

'It doesn't matter, just listen.' He said almost bear like, beyond grouchy was his voice, he climbed into the SUV on the left and then everyone followed suit. As soon as the others were in Morgan and Garcia watched Hotch speed off and then looked at one another.

'So us driving together?'

'Was my idea.' Derek told her. 'I wanted to see if you were okay? That case was a little heavy in the computer department.'

'I survived didn't I?'

'I know you did baby girl, but it still doesn't mean it hasn't affected you.'

'Let's get on the road Morgan.' She said with a warm smirk. 'We have a good 2 hour drive to talk to our hearts content.'

'Okay goddess, let's go.' He said and followed suit on getting into the driver's side of the SUV. 'Now you going to tell me how you're doing?'

'We haven't even left the car park yet handsome.'

'So, and your point is?'

'2 hours?' She played with the words; an eyebrow raised but saw he wasn't going to let up. 'I'll have nightmares tonight.' She told him and he grimaced at the thought of her midst nightmare, how plagued she was by what appeared on her screens from time to time and this case had been more damaging, tortured bodies of families were toppling over 50 and she had to deliver the news of 2 new dead families to them no more than 3 days in. 'But it'll get better again.' She added to beat his concerns.

'You do know if you ever want to chat you can call me? Anytime of the day.'

'I know but you shouldn't have my problems intermingling with yours.' She said and her phone went off, she pulled it out and sighed heavily. '_Great_.' She said with thick doses of sarcasm as she looked at the caller. 'Hey Kevin, what's a matter?' He heard Kevin's muffled voice as he literally screamed down the phone. 'No! Don't you dare yell at me! So what if I didn't call? I didn't know that was compulsory now in my life.' Another pause, another muffled berating. 'You know what Kevin? Call me back when you've controlled that temper because to be honest I can't deal with it, I shouldn't have to.' She then slammed the phone down.

'Everything okay?' Derek asked acting oblivious to the fact that he had just listened to a full blown argument.

'You know it isn't.' Penelope huffed angrily.

'What's he yelling at you for?'

'I didn't call to tell him I'd be on my way home today.'

'Do you have to?'

'Common courtesy would be to ring my boyfriend to heads him up but for once I just don't want him to be there ready to smother me.'

'Then tell him you want distance.' Derek told her. 'No sorry, this isn't my place to tell you what to do.'

'I have told him that.' Penelope told him completely ignoring his ploy to back away. 'But he doesn't get it; he thinks I need to be protected that I can't simply have down time without breaking.'

'Well you need to tell him again.'

'I need to tell him something, I just don't think....' Penelope couldn't finish as the two front tyres blew before the second ones did and the car span manically across the black top of the highway. She could see in her peripheral as Derek tried desperately to control the large vehicle, then it was too late and the car toppled on its roof from the momentum and halted. 'Derek...' She gasped before blacking out completely.

Derek tried his hardest to free himself; he had heard Penelope gasp his name but got no reply when called her back. He twisted his head, ignoring the searing fresh pains in his neck to look at her and saw her hang upside limply, her seatbelt acting as a harness, much like his was. He tried to devise a quick plan but heard footsteps. 'Hey! Help! We need help!' He called out and a pair of thick black booted feet halted next to Penelope's door, then he saw as they bent down. 'Yeah get her out please!' He pleaded and did just that but while he wasn't watching his side, someone injected him with something.

Now Derek hung limply in his seat, someone came beside him and undid the seat belt, Derek's body dropped on to the roof of the car, he was then dragged off out.


	3. In It Together

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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The pounding in her head grew as her eyes opened up, she closed them hoping that it would stop but the pulsating quickened and made her feel slightly sick, yet she breathed and then the nausea passed. _Was she in hospital?_ The question flashed into her mind as she caught up with herself, as she remembered being in the car, alone with Derek, then the crash. She tried to shoot up, to sit up, to assess but found she couldn't move very far, pains trickling through her chest and head made it difficult plus she felt the restraints of some kind.

With that last connotation in her head she opened her eyes fully, headache forgotten, pain ensuring, she looked into shadows. The terror bubbling manically in her as she realised that she wasn't in a hospital like first thought but in a blackened room and with that she couldn't help but feel the tears bubble. _Where was Derek? Was he safe? How hurt was he? Was he looking for her?_ He mind whizzed through the scenarios of what had happened to Derek but then a shuffle came from the opposite corner of the room. She froze, refusal to move, to attract attention of any sort.

She heard a groan, a noise she knew too well, a noise of discomfort, of pain, of confusion and as that noise buzzed in her throbbing head her eyes burned with recognition and sorrow. 'Derek.' She whispered out in hope that he didn't respond, or that the voice that reacted to the name was far from close to Derek's tone of voice. She bit her lip in preparation and bit harder as it rang out.

'Penelope.' His voice came out disorientated, groggy. 'Are you okay?' He asked suddenly more alert, slightly panicked.

'Yeah.' She lied, trying hard to hide the pains ebbing into her forcefully, she heard him move and his face caught some of the streams of light and from his expression she knew she was caught out.

'Are you okay?' He asked again.

'My chest hurts and my head but apart from that I'm fine. You?'

'I think they injected me with something... apart from that my head but nothing else.'

Penelope nodded and Derek noticed it with the little light that graced the room, magnifying the shadows into scary twists and turns that made the minimal furnishing in the room look monstrous. 'This isn't good.' She whispered, more to herself than to Derek.

'The team will find us, don't doubt them.'

'Derek... they won't know we're missing for a while yet, we don't know who is behind this.' She said in a whisper, not truly believing what she was saying.

'Don't got there baby girl, just don't doubt them, they'll figure it out. Now can you move?'

'No, I've got some cuff thing on my arm. What about you?'

'Same.' He said and moved his hand allowing the noise of the chains to bang together and echo out. 'I won't let them hurt you.'

'Don't make that a promise.'

'Why not?'

'You can't make that a promise when you have no idea if you can keep it. We have no idea what we're up against here. Just be Derek for me please yeah?'

'Always.' He said with a sincere voice.

'That's a promise I know you'll keep for me.' She replied and the lights beamed on and they both squeezed their eyes shut whilst they adjusted to the new beams intruding their sight. When she opened her eyes she saw Derek staring at her intensely, his face full of apology. 'Don't give me that look.'

'I'm so sorry.'

'No! Don't apologise to me Derek.' She saw the hurt in his facial expression and knew he had grasped the wrong end of the stick. 'This isn't your fault.' She told him. 'Please don't look at me like you're the one to blame, when you aren't.'

'Your head.'

'Will heal.' She finished for him and then she placed her hand to her head, saw the fresh blood and sighed. 'Don't worry about this... got it?' She asked forcefully and he gulped and then nodded. 'Good because you doing that isn't you being Derek for me is it?' He shook his head, she watched his mouth open in preparation to answer but then the dead bolt of the door slide open and the door swung to reveal 3 men.

The pair surveyed them; they were burly, large in size, robust, ready. Wordlessly they entered the room, whilst one unlatched Penelope's wrist the others grabbed her.

'Put her down!' Derek bellowed, easily the same size as 2 of the men, the anger seeping from every pore on his body. 'Put her down now!' He was awarded a smirk and one last terrified glance from Penelope as she fought the men but found herself exerting too much energy. She felt helpless as Derek's yelling for her quietened as the door was shut and locked up. The men laughed as she gave up, all her useless strength to get out of their grasps proved a failure, she should've known but she wasn't sure when she'd see Derek again, or if she would. She was lead into a room, just tossed, not placed, there was nothing friendly about this place, not even with imagination.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek felt his head going insane without Penelope near, without the knowing of what was happening, of not knowing if she was being kept from harm or being put in its way. He tried unsuccessfully to loosen the cuff on his wrist but again it was another failed attempt, like so many had been.

In frustration he hit the wall, awarding pain to ricochet through his balled up fist, he ripped his attention from his self hurt and watched the door as it opened and the same men came in.

'Where is she? What have you done to her?'

'She's safe... just you two need some time away from one another.'

'No we don't! Take me to her!'

The men were silent as they undid the cuff, but bound Derek's arms behind him back to reduce his chances of escape, they had taken precaution when it came to him, they saw the evident strength he withheld.

After a drawn out and difficult walk for the men, Derek was slammed into a room with no furniture, no larger than a closet, no light filtering in at all except from under the door, then he was alone, no Penelope near to make him see the outside world with his head, just himself.

He knew if he was in there for too long he would soon go insane. Already the insanity had begun to settle around him in the darkness.


	4. Deal Maker

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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Hotch pulled into the diner car park and heard a couple of groans. 'I know we want to get home but Morgan and Garcia are nowhere near so let's go get some coffee and something to eat.'

'Let me ring them.' JJ said and pulled the phone from her pocket and dialled Penelope's number, she frowned and tried and Derek's only to frown again. 'No answer.'

'Let's go in, they'll bound to see the SUV in an empty car park.' They agreed and welcomed the warmth of the diner when they entered. An hour later it was darkening outside and there was no sign of them, they then overheard the police officer answer a call on his radio about a crash, the description uncanny.

'It can't be.' Emily gasped slightly worried.

'How many FBI SUV's come out this way?' Rossi asked and stood, he approached the officer as he got ready to leave. 'Excuse me that crash you've just been told about...'

'Sorry Sir but I need to go to it.'

'We might know who it is.'

'Well you'll need to go to it and offer help; it sounds urgent so I need to get there.' He looked up and saw the whole team up, money on their table, ready to go. 'You're the FBI folk right?' They nodded. 'You had better follow then.' He said and walked out, the team followed and rushed to the SUV, following the officer, Hotch placing his sirens on just like the officer had, that showed the certainty of the situation.

When they arrived they felt their hearts sink as they processed the twin SUV from the sidelines. Hotch and Rossi were first out and fast approaching, falling into sync as they walked, pulling their badges out in eager readiness to declare their positions in the FBI.

'Sirs we need you to step back from the crime scene.' An officer told them, his hand shooting out.

'Sorry no can do, that SUV is registered to the BAU in Quantico, it was carrying one of my agents and my technical analyst.' Hotch spoke with full amounts of certainty.

'Right.' He said stunned, never being put before people of such high reprimand in his life. 'Erm... uh... well I suppose you want to know what we found?' The pair of older men nodded. 'Right well, all 4 tyres were blown, from the state of the tyres we'd say from a spike strip about 700 yards up the road, we have forensics up there checking it for verification but we'd say this was a planned attack.'

'You don't seem too shock.'

'No sir, we've had it happen about 3 maybe 4 times in the last 3 months, there are no leads to who it could be.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek had watched as multiple shadows shifted under the door, as the lights changed and he knew from that that day had passed into night and night had turned into day. All the more he was without Penelope, he worried about her, her head wound was bad enough but if, like him, she was refused food or drink she wouldn't be doing well at all. She needed to be kept hydrated, he knew that and he just hoped they knew that unless their ploy was to take them and leave them to die.

As he fell asleep he saw artificial lights flicker on in the hallway and knew that another day had ended, his watch had been taken so he had no idea as to how long he had been here but he prayed it would be over soon, he wanted to breath fresh air, not this stuffy air that was full of perspiration and exhaled air.

He awoke abruptly, anger flaring in waking up and not having Penelope near him yet again. The door was open and before he had time to react he was grabbed and dragged. He rocked as much as he could to get out of the grasp but he was losing strength from malnutrition and exhaustion. He saw a new door, a larger door, that meant a larger room, more air, new air.

'Get off me!' He ground out and shifted his weight the best he could with so much awkwardness. The third man that seemed to lead the others to do things opened the door and slammed it against the inner wall and he saw a form on the floor, motionless, unmoving, breathing slowly. He stared more; he stopped wriggling he was getting his wish to be with Penelope in some sense, now he'd know how she was, if she was okay but looking at her, he knew she wasn't.

He was dropped and bound, his legs together, fastened to the floor, his hands tied in front of him. An less awkward mirror image of Penelope. He waited with baited breath as the door was shut and locked tight without a single word spoken. He then turned the best he could. 'Penelope.' He said and waited, he gave up on a response when she didn't reply.

'Y-yeah.' She said weakly.

'How you doing baby girl?'

'I j-just n-need a drink.' She said as she sat up slowly.

'Why don't you stay lying down?' He felt her slump back down. 'How's the head?'

'That's what's h-hurting the most.' She said and gulped around her dry mouth. 'I'll b-be fine once I've d-drunk something.'

'Have they hurt you?'

'No.' She replied looser as though she was gathering strength. 'Just l-left me to it.' She replied and then the door opened. Derek watched as two women entered, one passed him and went to Penelope.

'Drink this.' The woman that stepped in front of him said softly as she put a cup of cold water to his lips, he refused naturally. 'It's straight from a tap.' She reassured. 'Just drink it, it'll do you good.' He then drunk hastily from the cup, lavishing the feel of it, all the time listening to the other woman.

'Sit up.' She spoke with a soft-hearted tone, she then helped Penelope sit up straight, she pressed the cup to her dried lips and found she didn't need to prompt her to drink she just took the cool liquid and lapped it up. 'I think she might have a concussion.' The woman spoke to the other female over Penelope and Derek's shoulders.

'I'll take a look in a moment, if you want.' The other replied, but the other turned down the offer for a second look. 'How you feeling?' She asked Derek.

'I'd feel loads better if you let us go, even if you let her go.'

'I'm sorry we can't.' She replied solemnly. 'Are you hurt?' Derek knew it was no good to ask again to leave so shook his head.

'How long have we been here?' Penelope asked as she swallowed the drink, her head clearer, her voice more on track.

'Coming up to your 3rd day.' Penelope nodded but took in a breath of sharp air as the woman pressed on her forehead. 'Looks deep... '

'Just shove a plaster on it, it won't matter soon.' The other woman said, a sudden mood swing in progress, and both Penelope and Derek grimaced at the words. 'Come on hurry up, we were told to not be here too long.'

'I know, I'm coming.' She said sticking the plaster to Penelope's forehead once she'd cleaned it up. 'We'll be back in a day or so to give you more drink.'

'You can't leave us with just that! She needs to have more to drink.' Derek near enough pleaded.

'Soon.' The more dominant female told them and shut the door as they finally left the pair alone. Darkness then eluded the room.

'Ugh! This isn't helping... on and off of lights.' Penelope moaned. 'I've been losing my mind not knowing where you were.'

'Same back at you baby girl.' He heard her laugh. 'What's so funny?'

'Even in this type of situation where we've just been delivered our death sentence, baby girl seems to make things so much better.'

'Don't talk like that.'

'Well sugar this isn't getting better.'

'Well maybe not, but you are.'

'Pardon?'

'When I came in you were not the normal Pen, you were the Penelope that scares me, when you're unwell, or not safe, hurt even, but you had that water and now you're more the Penelope that keeps me on my toes.'

'You think so?'

'Just promise me something.'

'What?' She responded.

'Be the Penelope I love.'

'If you carry on being the Derek I love.'

'I already made that promise.'

'Which you haven't broken yet.' Penelope chirped, and he felt her gesture with her head with satisfaction.

'I plan not too.' He verified with a self assured smirk. 'Do we have a deal?'

'We do.'


	5. The Truth Beckons

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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'It's been 6 days! Why the hell can we not find them?' Hotch said agitated, he was in denial that there were no clues, absolutely no clues at all. He smacked his hands on the table in the conference room. 'No one is ever this clever.'

'Hotch you need to calm down, getting wound up isn't going to help.'

'Well I wouldn't need to get so wound up if my team members were all okay.' He gritted out. 'There's blood on the passenger side, we know its Garcia's so we know she's hurt, we know Morgan was drugged, that doesn't settle me at all, it unnerves me and I won't rest until they are found.' He then stormed out of the conference room leaving the other 4 members standing there to mull over the same feelings that he had chosen to show.

'He's right... no one is ever this good.'

'Then maybe it's a pack of them.' Emily commented. 'I mean, to move Morgan... he's a big guy, someone would need help and then to have Garcia too, no lone kidnapper will handle two of them at one time, it's too risky.'

'There's no ransom either. It's believed that **11% **of kidnap victims are released without a ransom being paid, either through negotiation or because the abductors realise that no-one's going to pay up.'

'Yeah but their badges are gone, their bags ransacked... whoever has them knows full well that they're part of the FBI and that there'll be a hell of a lot of people asking questions to their whereabouts.'

'Hmm true but it's been 6 days, no contact, means they aren't looking for money, or for a release of Morgan and Garcia.'

'Plus like that officer said there have been others, the cases are identical guys, we're dealing with a new group of Unsubs whether we like it all not.'

'So you think you know who's got Penelope?' Came Kevin's shattered voice from the doorway. 'You can get her back?'

'Sorry Kevin, we can't... it's not that simple.' Reid told him sadly, wanting nothing more than to get their friends back.

'You have to get her back though! We ended on an argument; I can't forgive myself if that was it! My last memory of hearing her voice was her angry at me.'

'We'll get them back.'

'You better.' Kevin said somewhat angered and then left.

They all looked at one another. 'Touchy... does he not get that Penelope means a lot to us too?'

'Yeah I get that he's the boyfriend but come on Hotch was plain nasty to us that night after the case, without them two our family is out of place.' JJ agreed and gained recognition from them all. 'I just don't have a good feeling about this.' The silence that settled between them told them that they all agreed whether they wanted to or not.

'We need to think deeper.' Rossi said and his brow furrowed as he thought about something. 'The people from the first case, they survived, but were found in two different locations.'

'Yeah what about the others?'

'Couple two, the same as couple 2 but 3 were found dead, defensive wounds on the male, signs of torture on the female, 'revenge' written on the woman in Latin.'

'There's a link! How did we miss that? They're all couples, one male and one female, always! How did we miss that out?'

'Okay, so we have a group of sadists after couples, it's not much to go on.'

Reid picked up some paper work, reading at the speed that still shocked them. 'The couples were all dumped either side of the state they come from.'

'How you mean?'

'Well couple one, they come from Milwaukee, the female was found in Chicago while the male was found in Wisconsin, there's no geographically distances but it seems to be a state either side.'

'Couple two?'

'From Salt Lake City, female found in Wyoming and the male in Nevada.' Reid told them. 'Last couple, from Atlanta, dumpsite was in South Carolina.'

'Okay so we know they move but we've got to isolate the places around Virginia, alert hospitals.'

'We have another problem.'

'What now?'

'Neither surviving couple had memories of anything.' That last comment made all their faces whiten, made Hotch stop in his tracks as he entered the room.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

'You know when I was shot?' Penelope said as her and Derek said back to back, leaning on one another.

'I'll never forget that.'

'I so didn't want to live after that.'

Derek felt the sting of the words, they had hardly spoken the last couple of days, Penelope had ended up sleeping, regaining composure, he just followed and slept with her, just happy to be left with her near.

'Why would you say that?'

'Because as I heard him walk up to me, all I could think of was the argument we had had, how we left it on a bad note, how I just didn't want to wake up and you still not want me back because you were right and I was wrong.'

'I would've never have done that, if my baby girl was hurt I would never walk away.'

'I know that now and I was really happy to feel your hand on mine in the hospital.' She admitted to him, wishing she could look at his face, he felt her shiver. 'Hospitals creep me out.'

'I'd agree with that.'

'Why?' She asked intrigued. 'Why do they creep you out?'

'I remember going to see my dad at the morgue in one, scared me to have the idea of death everywhere... seems ironic now that I'm in the job I am.'

'You're good at what you do though handsome, you're compassionate, honest and one of the best agents out there.' She felt him laugh in disbelief. 'Don't Derek; I know what I'm talking about.'

'I know, it's just that this is the most we've spoken in a long time, I've missed how you make me feel.'

She smiled. 'Well we have a lot of free time on our hands Agent Morgan so get used to it.' She said trying to lift the mood even if by a fraction.

'I'll try.' He joked. 'So goddess why do you not like hospital?'

'The idea of death.' She replied, feeling complete agreement with Derek's reasoning. 'The idea of how easier life can be snatched away.' She implored. 'What was your dad like?'

'Well what I can remember of him, he was caring, loved to play sports, was always there.'

'Sounds familiar.' She said with evident hints to Derek.

'What about your mom?'

'I'll show you a picture one day; I used to get told I'm her personified... I don't see it. She was always fun to be with, the one to cheer up, always ready for hugs and love, I miss her hugs the most, and her smell.'

'I suppose you do, you never get over something like that.'

'No matter how hard you try.'

'What would she think of Kevin?' Derek blurted out abruptly and hated himself for it.

'She'd probably hate him as much as his mom hates me.'

'She's hate you?'

'The whole Lynch family do, I'm not worthy enough but Kevin says he doesn't care.'

'And you?'

'It bothers me, I'm not made for Kevin, I'm not sure I'm made for any man.' Penelope near enough sighed as she said those words. 'I think I live a lie half the time.'

'How so?'

'I'm not happy.' She said to him and then shook her head. 'What's your dark secret?' Penelope said hopeful for a change of subject.

'Why aren't you happy?'

'Kevin doesn't fulfil me that's all.' She replied. 'Now come on secrets, dish erm out.'

'Only if you do.'

'I will.'

'You remember when I was arrested?' He felt Penelope cringe. 'Well when I found Buford, I so wanted to kill him but I felt like something was telling me not to.'

'Your dad maybe?'

'No... you.' He felt her catch her breath. 'You always do it, your voice pops into my head and stops me doing stupid things on impulse.'

'I'm glad to know I'm such a help.'

'More than that... now your turn baby girl.'

'I thought I'd killed someone when I was underground.'

'Thought?'

'I shot them, in self defence but I've hated guns ever since.' Penelope admitted with regret. 'They cause too much destruction, and you only seem to realise how much so when you're the one that has the barrel pointed at you.'

'Did your life flash before your eyes?' Derek asked without thinking.

Penelope sat in silence, this was the first time anyone had asked her such questions. 'Strangely, it did. I was like 6 again in the park with my mom and dad, then I was driving Esther for the first time, then at my parents funeral and then leaving California and then I was in my office, laughing, on the phone to you and then I woke up.'

'So it isn't a myth?'

'No way but it's the scariest thing to go through; it does change your life though.'


	6. Give and Take

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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'If I die here, I'll be happy to know that we got back on track.' Penelope near enough whispered, coughing followed quickly.

'I won't be, I couldn't protect you from any of it.' Derek replied back sadly with a hoarse voice. 'I always grew up thinking that because I couldn't protect myself that I could protect others and it was always my sisters, and then later on you too, I'd have given my all to protect you from the hate in the world, I just feel grateful for meeting you.'

'I feel grateful for you calling my baby girl.'

'Me too.' They both laughed but it was a tense laugh, nothing flowing with it.

'I still remember that day like it was yesterday, I remember your face.'

'I remember my face too; I told my mom how much of an idiot I felt.'

'I would've liked to have met your mom; she seems so kind and loving.'

'One day baby girl one day, that's a promise.'

'Derek...' Penelope warned. 'What did we say about promises we can't keep?'

'I know but I want you to know my family, be accepted by a group of people that'll love you.'

'They have no need to love me; I'm their son, brother's work colleague.'

'Best friend actually.' He said and relaxed around the words. 'You heard me.' He said breaking the silence. 'You're my best friend Penelope; no one's going to replace you, no one.'

'I feel like I let you down on that side though.'

'Why?'

'Kevin...' There was tense, unbearable silence. 'He was a mistake.' Penelope said forcefully, shaking her head. 'Sitting here, my life hasn't amounted to much.'

'Baby...'

'No... what great achievements have I done exactly? I literally went crazy at 18, got arrested for being a dangerous hacker and then I'm in a job that uses me purely to do that, I'm no better than some of the Unsubs Derek, I can kill in my own way.'

'But you don't... you help for the good side, yes you're a lethal weapon but come on, you know good from bad, right from wrong, you don't put people in danger you help them baby girl.' Derek reasoned with her. 'You lost your parents but in turn you help counsel victims of similar things. Okay so you can kill but you don't chose to, however much you see you don't think to do it too.'

'I should've known you'd put up a good argument.'

'Hard not to when the truth is staring you in the face.'

'You should've been a lawyer.'

'Oh but if I'd done that I wouldn't have met you.' He said and nudged her with his elbow making her laugh warmly. 'I'd have been missing a piece.'

'Hardly.'

'Pen! It's my life, you mean too much to me.'

'I just can't help but feel like a complete hypocrite while I sit here, I pushed you away, and I didn't want to.'

'You were in a relationship, well still are, I got it.'

'I'm going to end it.'

'What! Why?'

'Like I said I'm not happy and I think that counts for the most part, I need to be happy with my life and being with Kevin doesn't make me happy so why continue like it's meant to be?' She reasoned and he breathed and she knew he agreed. 'Now you, what about a female for you?'

'Pen...'

'No, this chat, for the majority, has been aimed at me, so how about you?'

'I don't want to talk about.'

'For what reason?'

'Penelope!'

'No heart and soul laid bare, I want to know you in and out.'

'Don't we already?'

'Nearly.' She teased.

'That means you're holding something back.'

'We all deserve one secret.'

'Nu uh, you don't get away that easily, all laid bare now come on secret.'

'How did this get back to me?' Penelope asked slightly miffed how it actually had turned back on her. 'Girl? Morgan? Who?'

'You.'

'Excuse me?'

'I love you baby girl, I told you when you were shot, and then Kevin happened and I thought I wasn't right for you.'

'Never think that.'

'Well it's got to be true or I'd be with you.' There was another awkward silence. 'I shouldn't have said anything.'

'I love you too.' Penelope said and the tension relaxed, wishing all the more to hold the other one.

Then the door opened, light folded in before the over head lights beamed on. The 3 familiar men came in, the 2 women behind in the hall, Penelope twisted to look, petrified as to what was about to happen. 'Get the female.' The man's voice spoke, husky with damage from smoking too many cigarettes.

'No!' Penelope said as her chains were removed and she was picked up by one of the males. 'Get off me.' She screamed as he squeezed her in his grip, the dead pains exploding in her sides.

'Put her down! Take me!' Derek bargained. 'Leave her alone.'

'Nice chat you were having.' The man spoke. 'Shame it's the last time you'll see one another. Ever.' He then gesture with his head to the door and the man began to walk, drag Penelope alone in a painful bear hug.

'No!' She shouted terrified as she was pulled away from Derek. 'Please!' She said as she was pulled into the hallway. 'Derek!' She screamed out before being silenced.

'You bastard!' Derek yelled as the others left. 'Leave her alone! Have me! You don't need her!'

'We need you both! We'll see you soon.' The man told Derek, leaving him in darkness again. Derek broke then, that was it, as far as he was aware Penelope was gone, like he was gone to her. She was stolen from him, just as he had finally got through to her that he loved her and she had returned it. The shelves of their life had just been emptied, he knew her through and through, right through to her soul. He knew what made her tick, what every element of her being was and why she had it and he hoped she was the thinking the same before the terror took over. Although he had no complete regrets he wanted nothing more than to break free and save her but he was too late.

This was it for them both.


	7. Job Done

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

_**A/N:**_ Because you asked so nicely and I'm like 6 chapters ahead in the writing of this, I thought I'd give you 2 in one night! =)

Enjoy and REVIEW! It makes the muse happy!

----------------------------------------------------

When she opened her eyes she felt comfort of some sort. It wasn't her bed she knew that for sure, nor was it familiar, then she felt the piercing sting of a side light next to her. She put a hand to her head, it was throbbing, _where was she? What had happened?_ She thought as her mind registered. Then she realised her hand felt heavy, she looked and saw an IV taped down, bandages around her wrists. Then the panic set in, she had no recollection of what happened, she shot up, not without causing multiple pains to reverberate around her body.

'Miss, we need you to lay back down, too much movement isn't good for you.'

'Where am I?'

'You're in hospital.'

'Whereabouts'?'

'Hartford.' The nurse looked at Penelope worried. 'Can you tell us your name? There was no ID when you were found.'

'M-My name?' Penelope said troubled, she couldn't think. 'I-I-I don't' know it.'

'Well you get some rest and we'll get a doctor down.' Penelope didn't move. 'You need to get some rest so lay down.'

'What's happened to me?' Penelope asked lucid. 'Why can't I remember anything? How long have I been here?'

'You've got a nasty head wound, that has infection from not being seen too, a couple of broken ribs, and some bruising... now get some rest, please.' She said avoiding what actually had happened to her and the final question.

'How long have I been here?' Penelope said and gulped.

'4 days.' The nurse told her. 'Now you really need to get some rest.'

'Why can't remember anything? Why do not have any memory of anything?' Penelope asked panicked.

'We'll let the doctor tell you that.' Penelope gave up then and slipped back down, feeling completely empty. When the nurse finally left, she let herself cry, she was all alone in a strange place that she knew nothing of, no one to be there to comfort her, to protect her, she had no idea of herself, of how old she was, her past, her parents, her friends, her job, her entire life was wiped clean.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

'This is a losing battle.' Rossi said exhibiting the same emotions that Hotch had shown from the moment Derek and Penelope were reported missing. 'It's been 11 days and we are no nearer than we were 5 days ago.'

'Hotch, this just arrived, there's no name, just BAU on it.' JJ said rushing in with a box, she gave it to Hotch and he ripped it open, he then pulled out Derek's credentials, and both his and Penelope's passes to the building.

'Shit.' He said putting them down and grabbing the letter.

_**No need to worry anymore, problem sorted, they are separated.**_

'What does that mean? That they've released them?

'Right ring the hospitals.' Hotch ordered them. 'I know they have both their pictures but we need to know.' Everyone got up and did what they were told except Rossi. 'You don't think they're dead do you?'

'I don't know, but it's the first time they've made any form of contact.'

'Hardly contact though.'

'It is, they know where they work, they will ring us when they want something, if they want something but for now we just have to cling on to the fact that part of their game has just been played.'

'They're playing off course.'

'Getting bolder with what they've taken on, the other victims were not of high ranking in jobs, and now they hit jackpot with an FBI agent and the BAU's TA.'

After a long awaited wait the others made their way back in with down and out faces, all shaking their heads. 'Nothing at all?' Hotch asked.

'No, they haven't had any John or Jane Does admitted, or anyone that comes close to Morgan and Garcia's description.'

'So I guess we sit and wait.' JJ said passively, not liking that idea at all. Then the dust settled, the dust that was the abduction of two prominent people in their lives fell and the impact made them angrier to find their remaining family members.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek groaned, there was something unfamiliar about the smell that greeted his sense of smell, the bright light did nothing for his sight and his head felt like it was midst swim. He slide up, ignoring the twists of runaway wires on him. He sat and surveyed the room, _what was this place?_ He thought hard but couldn't connect where he was, then he tried to think hard about what had happened, what his last memory was but for some strange reason he couldn't recollect anything at all.

He ripped at the wires, disconnecting them, pulling the IV from his hands, then climbing from the bed, only to collapse when his legs hadn't registered with their job, they felt numb.

'Sir!' A petit nurse said as she entered the room. 'You really shouldn't be out of bed.'

'Where am I?' She looked at him startled. 'What am I doing here?'

'You're in Cincinnati, you were found on the road side of the highway about 4 days ago.' She said as together Derek was back sitting on the edge of the bed. 'Can you tell me your name? We'd like to alert family members.'

'Name? F-family?' Derek asked confused. 'I don't remember it.'

'No problem Sir.' She told him. 'Well lets get you into bed.' She said masking her panic at his declarations. 'I'll get the doctor down and we'll go from there.'

'What's wrong with me?'

'We'll let the doctor tell you that.'

'No, please, I just want to know.'

'You have some minor cuts to your wrists, a slight bump to the head, a couple of bruises and you were heavily drugged, that's all we found wrong with you.'

'Could that explain me not knowing who I am? Or where I come from?'

'Possibly the head injury, or the high doses of drugs in your system.'

'What drugs?'

'Sir, we'll get the doctor to tell you the rest.' Derek finally nodded, giving up, giving into the temptation to look through his mind, wrack it for memory retrieval of some type but it was no good and when he was alone, he began to feel uneasy about life. What was he going to do on his own?


	8. Retracting Recollection

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

'You need to get some more rest.' The nurse that had greeted Derek when he work up said as she entered with a fresh jug of water. 'The doctor wants you to have some more bed rest.'

'It's been 3 days, when can I leave?'

'We'd rather have you in for a couple of more days; you're still suffering the effects of the drugs you were given, plus your memory loss.'

'How can I get my memory back?'

'Come on, it's more a waiting game, the drugs you were given mess with the electrodes in the brain, everything's cross wired at the moment.'

'Will I ever remember?'

'I can't tell you that.' She told him, and smiled. 'Now come on get that handsome butt of yours in bed.' She watched Derek flinch at the word, pale somewhat but freeze. 'Hey... what's wrong?' She asked as she walked to him.

'That word, handsome, it flickered something.' He watched her smile. 'That's good right?'

'That is exceedingly good.' She smiled. 'Someone else thought you were a bit of alright it seems.' She told him and pulled the sheets down on the bed while he got back on. 'Just get some more rest and we'll see what else we can get to flicker later.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Penelope stood in the bathroom of her hospital room, her head still span from hastily sitting up but apart from that worry what got her the most was the scar on her abdomen, every time she touched it she felt the urge to mutter '_date_', yet she couldn't pinpoint why.

'You going to come out any time soon?' Came a familiar voice of one of the male nurses that seemed to work regular shifts at the hospital. Penelope said nothing but left the room wordlessly. 'How you feeling?'

'Fuzzy.'

'Fuzzy has to be better than empty right?'

'It's a step up.' She said with a small smile, still admittedly scare by how life had become. 'When can I leave?'

'When you get the all clear.'

'Which will be?'

'No idea, but for now let's get you back in bed, you need more rest.' He surveyed her features. 'What's up?'

'Something's triggering in my head but every time I think I've got it, it seems to be locked up tight again.'

'What is it?'

'The scar on my stomach, and something to do with a date.' She said confused. 'And something isn't settling right, like I did something and got pay back.'

'That's ridiculous, just don't try to analyse stuff and you'll catch up with yourself.'

'You think?'

'I do think, I know.' He said and got her completely settled. 'Want something to help you sleep?' Penelope shook her head. 'Sure? Might settle you a bit more.'

'No it's okay.'

'Okay, you need me; you know where to get me.'

'I do.' She waited for me to leave before trying to open her mind, slightly apprehensive that she was only going to open a Pandora's box of her own.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

'So this Penelope, she has no family that wants to be here to find her?' Fran asked as she realised that so far into her son's and Penelope disappearance no one had turned up worried.

'No Mrs Morgan, I mean Fran; she never had strong ties with her brothers once her parents died.'

'Her parents are dead?' Fran asked a little taken back, that she didn't know. 'So she's basically alone?'

'Apart from us lot yes, and her boyfriend.'

'Where is he?'

'We aren't sure; he hasn't been near us in a couple of days. I knew Penelope was having a difficult time with him.' JJ commented, knowing the end for the pair was nigh.

'She'll be okay once she's with him.' Fran reassured placing a hand over JJ's. 'If she loves him, she'll keep him.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Penelope jolted from her slumber, throwing the notepad from her lap as she went; she climbed out of the hard bed and paced at a high magnitude of speed, one that made her anxious, one that strangely comforted her.

'Derek, Derek, Derek, Derek.' She said in quiet mantra. 'Baby girl!' She exclaimed, and wrung her hands together, she looked outside, it was dark. _'Why are these so important?'_ She thought to herself and then all of a sudden her head began to throb and then started pounding and she felt the urge to slip down the wall. When the nurse came in she was shocked to see Penelope on the floor.

'Hey, what you doing down there?'

'I remember it.' She said unsure, like she was still missing parts, but she did remember her basic fundamental elements that made her, her.

'You remember?' Penelope nodded. 'Well let's start simple before we get you up into bed. What's your name?'

'Penelope Garcia.' She replied confidently.

'Well then Penelope let's get you up onto the bed, and we'll get in contact with your family.'

'I don't have any.' Penelope replied exhaustedly. 'Call Aaron Hotchner at Quantico, he's my boss... please call him, Derek I need him.' She said babbling.

'Penelope get some sleep, you can fill in some more facts later but for now you look exhausted.' Penelope had lost all momentum of energy she had and she faltered and fell asleep, a sense of calm over her now, but only in her dream like state did her mind open up to curse of what had put her in hospital.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek tossed and turned again in his sleep, his mind opening and closing, shooting tad bits of information but nothing that would be kept for when he woke up. His lips parted, 'Baby girl,' he murmured in his sleep. 'Battle... no good...' He whispered into the room. 'Buford... Reid... Foyet... Hotch... JJ...' The words were rolling off his tongue but no one was there to catch them and they wouldn't be there when he was awake, he'd have no recollection of the new mound of names.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hotch groaned as he woke up. 'Hotchner.' He ran a hand over his face.

'Is this Aaron Hotchner?' The feminine voice said down the phone, asking him to confirm.

'Yes... may I ask whose calling?'

'This is Nurse Greene from the Hartford Hospital, we have a Penelope Garcia, she told us to call you.'

'I'm on my way, is she alone?' He asked in hope that both Penelope and Derek were dumped together, it was a high hope to have but one he couldn't help but wish for.

'Yes... erm... shouldn't she be?'

'It doesn't matter, thank you; I'll be there as soon as possible.' He told her and closed his phone; he opened it and called Emily.

'Hotch.... what is it?' She muttered down the phone.

'We've found Garcia.'

'What!' Emily said more awake. 'Where?'

'Hartford.'

'That's outside our check points, well outside.'

'I know but I want you to come with me.'

'Of course... and Derek?'

'Still no word.'


	9. One At Liberty, One At Loss

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

'Lynch it might not be wise you coming too.' Hotch said slightly frustrated down the phone. 'Let us get her home first.'

'No way, I'm coming too.'

'Lynch listen up, we need to get going now, we're ready you're not.'

'Fine, I'll meet you there, either way I'm getting there.' Kevin said and slammed the phone shut, leaving Hotch to pinch the bridge of his nose.

He turned to Emily. 'We are close right?'

'Give us about 20 more minutes and I'd say we'd be there, he isn't going there is he?'

'Afraid so.'

'I don't think it'll do Garcia any harm, to have him there.'

'Maybe not but I just think the one person she's going to rooting for is one we can't give her any information on.'

'Derek?'

'Exactly, I mean they were taken together, she's going to want him as much as he's going to want her.' They spent the rest of the journey in silence, parking up as close to the entrance as possible just as sun rise broke and light began to get apparent. They wasted no time in getting inside and finding out where Penelope was and as soon as the information was theirs they headed to her.

'Penelope Garcia.' Hotch said hastily. 'I'm Aaron Hotchner; I was told she was here.'

'Ah, you're here for Penelope, now would you like the doctor to talk to you first or would you like to see her.'

'See her please.' The pair said together and the nurse smiled and walked around the desk, the pair followed her silently as she went down the corridor and entered a room. Apprehension grew in the pit of their stomach, afraid of the state that Penelope would be in after being missing for so long, but they yearned to see her, to feel her presence.

They walked in and found the bed empty, messy, and Penelope pacing.

'Penelope, now come on you need some more rest.'

'No, I need to work this out.'

'It'll come back to you, but you're body needs time to get better.' It was then Penelope looked up, confusion in her eyes, that was soon replaced with joy as she saw two familiar faces. 'I'll come back in a bit but I want to find you in that bed resting.' She nodded and the nurse left, Emily approached Penelope hesitantly before wrapping her arms around her as she broke down properly since this began. She felt Hotch run a hand up her back, and when she separated from Emily he engulfed her in a hug.

'I'm so sorry for that night Penelope, I didn't mean to that harsh.'

'Boss man... what did you say?'

'Don't you remember?'

Penelope shook her head with trepidation. 'I've had no memory until this morning, and at the moment everything about me getting here is a little hazy.'

'What's the last thing you remember?'

'Being called on the case.' It was as those words slipped her lips and her senses took in Hotch and Emily that the familiar pounding overwhelmed her and she froze, her breathing got tight, her vision blurred and the pain in her chest grew.

'Penelope.' Hotch asked as he stood stabilising her. 'Em, maybe you should get a nurse.' Emily didn't hesitate, she ran out of the room. 'Come on you on the bed.' Hotch said and got her on the bed, she refused to lay down but she was sitting on it nonetheless. 'You need to breathe Penelope, we're here.'

'Tell... me you got Derek.' She heard his pause and she knew. 'You haven't.' She said and cried in his arms. 'I need him.'

'We'll get him back.' Hotch soothed as the nurse came in. 'It's all under control but her breathings a little tight.'

'Could be a panic attack, just make sure the oxygen masks near, it will loosen her chest up and allow her to get over it easier.' The nurse said reassuringly and then left them, Emily bent down in front of Penelope, hands on her knees.

'We'll get him back.'

'I told him I loved him.' The pair didn't look shocked. 'He told me he loved me too and then I was taken and I woke up, I was alone again but this time they were injecting me with stuff.'

'Penelope you don't need to do this.'

'I do, I want you to find who did this.' The pair backed down, she needed to out this. 'They're trying to create a new life for people. Why do I remember? I shouldn't remember! What if Derek doesn't remember? We'll never see him again and I need him!' She said as her breathing got tight again and fear strangled her voice. 'I need him to come and love me.'

'What about me?' Kevin said brokenly from the door. 'I knew you'd never love me.'

'Kevin!' Penelope gasped, a little taken back. 'I- I- I...'

'Save it!' Kevin said and stormed out of the room, ignoring Penelope's sobs. He was sieving, he knew something would pull her away, but maybe when she was back in a familiar setting then he could talk to her calmly and be reasonable.

'Come on; let's see if you can come home.'

'Kevin's going to hate me.'

'No he won't.'

'I can't be with him anymore.'

'Well that's a choice that would always happen; you can't help who you love.' Emily soothed, knowing from experience. 'But once we get you home we might get a lead on Derek.'

'I don't want to go home; I want to go to the BAU.'

'Penelope.' Hotch warned. 'You need to rest up.'

'And I will, I just want to be close.' She watched Hotch's face stay unchanged, his eyes forming an argument. 'Please... I just want a place that's familiar.'

'Okay well Emily will stay here, but I'll go and see if we can get you out of here.'

'Thanks.' She whispered as Hotch was replaced with Emily and Penelope cried again.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek had the urge when he woke up to analyse his surroundings, profile them into categories, he did the same thing with the doctors and nurses as they rushed past his room. Then a sign popped into his head and he remember bits and pieces, nothing connected, it was all freely floating around his head.

'SSA Derek Morgan.' He muttered and he smiled, he jumped up and left the room, he went to the nurse's station, the one familiar to him most smiled at him but before she could tell him to get back to his bed he smirked. 'I'll go back, promise, but my names Derek Morgan, I come from Quantico.' The nurse smiled. 'Ring my mom on this number.' He said and wrote down his mom's name and number. 'She'll get here from Chicago.'

'This is good... Derek... one step at a time hey?'

'Yeah I suppose.'

'What else?'

'There's someone, I don't know their proper name but I call her baby girl, but I don't know who she is.'

'Well lets go from here and then we'll try and see if you remember anymore.' Derek then went back to his room, feeling confident in the number he gave, the name he remembered and strangely the nickname he knew.


	10. Doing The Right Things

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

Penelope felt everyone was watching her as she walked in; she pulled the hoodie around her tighter and prayed to be in a room with less eyes soon. Hotch never left her side, felt her tense as everyone stopped and watched as though a rescue mission was taking place in front of their eyes, he lead her to his office and sat her down on the couch in there.

'You okay? You look a little tired.'

'I've got a headache, probably that car journey.' Emily came in with a blanket that she'd got JJ to go and get while they headed back and settled next to Penelope. 'Is there any news?'

'I'll go and check.'

'How you feeling?' Emily asked concerned. 'You didn't look great when you got outside.'

'I've been cooped up for the last 18 days; I'm having a hard time adjusting.'

'It'll get better.'

'Will it really? I mean I don't think I can get through this without him.' Penelope said sadly, not wanting to accept that future. 'I need to talk to Kevin.'

'Maybe you should be doing that when your heads a little clearer.'

'No... I had time to think it through and like I said to Derek, I'm not happy with my life the way it is, it isn't fair on anyone.'

'Want me to get Kevin for you?' Emily asked knowing he was working, Penelope nodded and she left after squeezing her hand. Minutes later Kevin scurried into the room, immediately shutting it behind him.

'Open it.' Penelope said, not liking it shut to cut her off to the outside world.

'No, we need to talk.'

Penelope stood up agitatedly scared, she knew this had to be said but she didn't like enclosed spaces at the moment. 'Open it.' She said nervously but Kevin approached her and took her hands, parting them from wringing each other. She tried to snatch them away, uncomfortable to feel his touch, feel his rage that was just under the surface. 'Kevin... please, let me go, open the door.'

'What is wrong with you?' He convicted her, more than worried for her. 'You've changed.'

'That's because I've realised how unhappy you make me.' She said as she felt her own rage boiling. 'You yell at me for petty things, you make sure we're doing things so I don't get a say, you're a control freak.'

'And you love Derek Morgan.' He said and pushed her hard into the wall behind her. 'I'll pick my stuff up another day; I knew you'd leave me.' He berated her as she slid down the wall; the docile pains from her sides, her broken ribs, that were minimal were now exacerbated by the shove and her fresh emotional wounds were split wide open. Kevin now left the door open and she watched the open doorway as her vision blurred and people streamed in.

'Penelope.' JJ's soothing voice said as she knelt down next to her, gently taking her hand. 'Come on let's get you up.'

'No...' She sobbed. 'Just leave me... please.' She said as she put her head forward. 'Just find him please.'

'We will but you need to get some rest.'

'Let me help.'

'Garcia.' Came Hotch's stern voice. 'You need to rest up.'

'Just let me help please.'

'Let's go into the conference room then.' Hotch said knowing this was losing battle before it started. They all filed out, JJ and Emily flanking either side of Penelope protectively. They walked in and got Penelope sat down, all in silence, saying hello to Fran as she had evidently turned up, Penelope's mind was elsewhere that she hadn't noticed the older woman that sat nearly opposite her at the round table. 'Penelope, there really isn't much you can do but go home and get some rest.'

'Don't tell me to rest please, that's all I've heard, I need to get on.' She turned thoughtful. 'The place where they kept us, it was like basement... and there was a main road.'

'Someone's home maybe?' Emily offered up the suggestion.

'Typically warehouses are in secluded area's and don't have basements so that's them ruled out.' Reid added on without much thought. 'Did they say why you were there?'

Penelope's face paled. 'To create new life from old life. That's the only thing I remember from being taken from Derek, to waking up in hospital.'

'How many days had you been in hospital by then?'

'4 days, they said I was dumped on a road side.' She said, looking at her hands, not at anyone. 'He was with me.'

'For how long?'

'We'd been separated for 3 days and then put back together for like 8 before I was taken from him.'

'What state was Derek in?'

'He'd hurt his head slightly from the crash, it wasn't anything bad just a bump, and he'd been injected but apart from that he was hungry and thirsty.'

'And you?'

'You know about me... there were 3 men, 2 women; the women must've known what to do because one of the women knew I was concussed.'

'Were there any windows?'

'Only in the room we woke up in but that wasn't big enough to see out of.' Penelope then looked up, her eyes catching Fran's, Penelope knew those eyes and she burst into tears. 'You've got to get him back.' She cried out again.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Derek was pacing again, he didn't want to rest, he wanted out, he wanted his family, the nurse was unsuccessful in catching anyone at his family home and now he worried. He tried again to dislodge something in his mind, get one piece of information that would prove worthwhile, and he got it, Hotch's name, face and number came into his head and with it his whole relationship, personal and professional, he had with the man. The nurse entered as this breakthrough happened and she grabbed the pad and pen from the bed side table.

'Write it down.' She prompted. 'Whatever it is, write it down.' She watched him take the pad, he'd written Baby Girl so many times that she knew it was annoying him endlessly to not know where it fitted in his life, she watched him scrawl the name out and then the number, he then gave her the pad and she left without another word.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

'Get her in my office please.' Hotch said when Penelope didn't ease up on being tearful and anxious combined. 'JJ, can you stay with her please?'

'Course.' She agreed and led Penelope from the room. Everyone looked at Hotch as he blew out a breath and tried to calm down whatever was burning inside of him.

'Right... Mrs Morgan, you do not need to stick around.'

'I will, for Penelope.' Fran declined his attempt, he nodded and smiled appreciatively.

'We still don't have enough to go on, she did well considering.' Rossi took to looking at the files again. 'How come Garcia got her memory back when the other 4 didn't?'

'Victim 2 did, and victims 3 and 4 ended up in the state they came from, the Unsub's plan isn't foolproof, it is good but underlying factors seem to prompt memory recall.'

'Like what?'

'Couple 3 and 4, they had 3 kids, they were drawn back to their house, and then they remembered.'

'So Penelope's need to see Derek must've prompted her to remember.'

'Well that makes sense for how she just was.' Hotch said, not able to forget the pleas from Penelope. 'I need a word with Lynch.'

'Why?' Reid squawked unaware of what Kevin had done.

'He went to Penelope, she needed to talk to him and it ended with him pushing her into the wall... we found her on the floor crying, the thing is before we left the hospital we were told she had mass bruising to her sides and about 2 broken ribs.'

'So she was beaten?'

'No.' Hotch said with a shake of the head. 'Initially from the impact of the crash but then it looks like its been the way she was grabbed and held, like a bear hug but tighter.' He told them and Reid grimaced at the thought. 'So we know one of the men was exceedingly strong and Lynch pushing her would cause her pain.'

The phone in the middle of the table rang out and Rossi quickly answered it. 'Hotchner.' Hotch called out.

'Is this Aaron Hotchner?'

Hotch felt like he was having déjà vu. 'Yes, who's speaking?'

'My name is Nurse Marie from Cincinnati Hospital; we have a Derek Morgan with us.'

'Is he okay?'

'He's doing well, would you be able to come to us, he can be discharged but we need someone to be here to get him.'

'Yes we'll be there as soon as. Thank you for calling.'

'No problem, see you soon.' She said with evident smile in her voice, the line went dead and everyone smiled.

'No one tell Penelope just yet, she needs rest, telling her about Morgan is not going to allow that, me and Reid will go, Rossi pin point the distance between Hartford and Cincinnati, see if anything corresponds with the other cases. Mrs Morgan, we'll get Derek back as soon as possible.' He said and left the room, eagerly ready to regain the finally member of his team.


	11. Reconnect

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

'He has selective amnesia at the moment.' The doctor told them as he signed the discharge papers for Derek, the pair were yet to see him and now they wanted to get to him.

'Selective?' Hotch said as the doctor walked with them to Derek's room with Reid.

'He remembers certain things but other things don't quite fit in. Really he just doesn't have a complete memory.'

'So what does he remember?'

'You for one, and a Spencer Reid.'

'That's me.'

'Well that's good, he remembers a Jennifer Jareau too and his family.'

'How about Penelope Garcia?' The doctor shook his head. 'Emily Prentiss?' Another shake. 'David Rossi?'

'I'm afraid not. He does seem to have a fixation on the words Bay Girl but he cannot place the name anywhere, when you get him home I'm sure prompters will help him a lot.' The doctor told them and led them into a room. 'I'll leave you to it.'

Derek stood in front of them, dressed in track suit bottoms and a white t shirt looking slightly worse for wear. 'Hotch.' He smiled. 'Reid.' His smile grew as two familiar faces greeted him.

'Morgan I'm so glad we found you.' Hotch said as he walked into the room more. 'We all are.'

'Have you let my mum know?'

'She's at the BAU now waiting; we've got about a 2 hour drive to get you back, you ready?'

'Well yeah, I have nothing on me so yeah, I just want some familiarity.'

'Sound familiar.' Hotch muttered worriedly.

'What was that?' Derek asked just hearing what Hotch had said.

'Morgan is there anything you want to clarify? Anything that's annoying you?'

'Who's baby girl?' He asked momentarily. 'I keep wanting to say it but I have no idea who it is. I know it's not JJ or my sisters.'

'Maybe it's better if we show.' Hotch told him, eager to get home to remember.

'No who?'

'Penelope.'

'Who?'

'Exactly, let us show you who, okay?' Derek nodded back and followed him out of the room, Reid looked at Derek, he had one bandage on his right wrist, whereas Penelope had 2, he was cut up and had a purple bruise on his head, whereas Penelope had a plaster covering a cut of who knew what size.

They didn't speak the whole journey, Hotch tried to give mini triggers, ones that he hoped would spark something but Derek remained silent and thoughtful. They were walking into the bullpen when JJ came out of the conference room and pulled Hotch aware, fully aware of Derek but something needed to be said.

'She's gone hysterical.'

'What you mean?' He asked, not realising Derek was listening.

'She woke up, bad headache, her chest hurting her, like she'd had a nightmare and it just made her panic and she hasn't stopped racing back and forward.'

'I told her to rest... this isn't going to help.' Hotch said frowning praying that she'd get some proper rest and soon.

Derek hugged his mom, still listening and then broke into the conversation. 'Who's that?'

JJ hugged him tight, Reid had told them about his memory loss but on the way he remembered Rossi so they were hopeful. 'Penelope, she was with you.'

He looked up in time to see Penelope slide down a wall, wrapping her arms around her legs as she cried there were too many undertones to that cry and Derek felt something trigger hugely inside of him. 'Excuse me.' He said racing into the room and down onto the floor by Penelope. 'Baby girl.' He whispered to her, a different tone of voice he had used in the last times he had seen her.

She looked up at him and let out a small smile before wrapping her arms around his neck. 'They found you.'

'They did goddess.' He said happily. 'They found you too.' He said and pulled her apart from him. 'I wished I fought harder to protect you.' He said and kissed her. 'I love you.'

'I love you too.' She said and cried as a laugh escaped her lips. 'They said you didn't remember me.'

'I didn't but then seeing you, it triggered it in me.' He said and pushed some hair out of her face gently. 'Nasty cut you have there.'

'Nasty bump you have there too handsome.' She said with another laugh as her hand ran over the bruise on his head. 'I've missed you so much.' She told him in a whisper, as the tears fell again, different ones to the others.

'Well I'm not going anywhere for a while.' He told her and kissed her on the lips, he then got her standing up and pulled her close to him and he felt her cling on like if she didn't he would slip away. 'We shouldn't be doing this.'

'Why not?'

'Lynch?'

'Is gone... I told him the truth and he left.'

'Not after pushing her though.' Hotch said smiling at the sight but saw Derek's face darken. 'It's being taken care of so don't worry yourself... now will you go home the pair of you.'

'Only if Pen comes to mine.'

'Derek... I can't do that.'

'Why not?'

'Your moms here.'

'So I want you close to me, I meant it back there baby girl; I'm in love with you.'

'I know and I'm in love with you too but...'

'But nothing, Morgan take her home.' Hotch pushed them. 'We'll sort the case out, but you need to get some proper rest, a good night's sleep and I think only being with one another's going to bring that about.'

'Come on then mama, we've been given our orders.'

'Come on then Hot Stuff.' She said wrapping her fingers between his and squeezing them tight. They walked out and everyone was looking at them, at their hands and as she went to pull her hand out of Derek's he tightened his grip. 'Derek...'

'Don't you dare... I want you and if Strauss doesn't like it well then screw her but I still remember when you were pulled from that room the last time and I'm not losing you again, not for anything or anyone, you hear?'

She blushed again. 'Well at least have a welcome with the rest of the team.'

'Fair enough but I need to feel you next to me.'

'You will do, promise.'

'Is that a promise you can keep?'

'Oh most definitely Agent Morgan.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

When the pair left the building with Rossi and Fran they were met with a sea of reporters swarmed them. Cameras and microphones thrust in front of them from all directions. Derek tried to protect Penelope from the gang while Rossi stayed closer but helped Fran.

'Is it true that you 2 of the BAU's finest were kidnapped?'

'How did you get out?'

'Is this a random kidnapping or part of something sinister?'

'Are your abductors still at large?'

Penelope felt too overwhelmed by the flashing, the noise and felt the urge to bolt but Derek kept her close, kept her safe, and soon she was getting into one of the SUV's and it felt almost like a sanctuary to be out of the limelight, a place she hardly liked, more loathed.

'You okay baby girl?' Penelope nodded at him and he grabbed her hand in his. 'Let's get you home, away from this sick party.'

'It's their job.'

'Doesn't mean they have to do it.'

'Still their job.'

'I'm going to warn you that those reporters will either help or hinder everything.' Rossi said turning the key in the ignition. 'They'll either draw our Unsubs out with mistakes or they'll come back for you two or they'll stop all together until the heat dies down.'


	12. Tackling The Problem

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

Penelope never felt so at home snuggled into a man's body, her and Derek had slept right through from 3 the previous afternoon but now at 4am she was awake, she wasn't plagued with nightmares more Rossi's words, what if they came back? She didn't want to see them again but she wanted to make sure this happened to no one else.

'How long you been awake?' Derek asked with a gravelly voice, a smile on his face.

'God knows.' He replied with a yawn trying to defuse the questions.

'Well baby, God isn't here but you are, so how long?'

'About an hour.'

'What's on your mind?'

'What if's.' She muttered.

'Like?'

'What if they come back? I've just got you back; I don't want to lose you again.'

'You aren't losing me again.' He said with the hints of a promise in his voice. 'I can lie here and tell you that, I am not going anywhere.'

'I like your promises.' She whispered to him and kissed his bare chest, then she seemed to have a bright spark. 'Bait...' She said sitting up gingerly to look at him. 'They can use us to draw them out; if they didn't succeed they'll want to.'

'Baby...'

'No listen, tracking devices linked up ready, you with me, the team closely followed, what can go wrong?'

'Everything.'

'Us or another couple.' She reasoned with him. 'Just I think with us, we'd be easier.'

'You've been thinking about it for too long.'

'I shouldn't be left to my own mind sometimes angel.' She purred to him with a smile. 'I just think we need to at least try all we can.'

'Well just for now can we please get you less bruised and cut up?'

'Whatever you want stud.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

'How the fuck did this happen?' One of the men said pacing the length of the dining room. 'This isn't supposed to happen but now it's ruined!'

'Not a lot we can do about it now.' One of the women said.

'Lynette! This can destroy everything we've worked so hard for! Not just my life, but your life, and their life!' He said pointing to the other 3 people in the room.

'Tony you need to calm down.'

'Do not tell me to calm down! We can go down for this!' The man spat out. 'This was the girls turn, so who didn't inject enough?' He turned to the women, his body flared into an angry posture as he approached them. 'Well...'

'I gave him the amount we gave the others.' One of the women said confidently.

'Well Anya... how about you?'

'Me too... exactly what we were told.'

'If I find out either of you is lying then I'll make sure you pay.' He turned to the tall statuesque men to his right. 'Jamie, get finding their exact location. Alan, get me more drugs.' He saw them all about to ask. 'We're rectifying this once and for all.'

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

'Let me see.' Derek said as Penelope grabbed clean clothes from her bag that Emily had got her. She turned and looked at him, a little panicked at what he was asking. 'I saw him grab you Pen; I want to see what the bastard did to you.' She approached him and allowed him to lift the top of her pyjamas up; she felt his warm hands run over her sides, the purple bruises fading into yellowing patches. 'Still hurting?'

'From time to time, it's more my ribs than anything, but it feels better now that I'm not feeling worried about not knowing where you were.'

He pulled her down onto his lap and ran a finger around the cut on her forehead. 'I'd say I feel better for having you near me.' He said and kissed her and felt her respond, he smiled at her as they pulled away. 'This definitely what you want?'

'Definitely... I've always wanted you more than anyone else.'

'Good... because I've always wanted you more than the others.' He saw her look away. 'I was a user but now I have what I want and I'm going to make sure I prove that to you.' He saw her smile. 'Now you sure you want to put this option over to Hotch?'

'I do.' She said standing up and grabbing her clothes, she went into his bathroom and out dressed in clean track suit bottoms and cardigan, he followed suit and came out kitted out in jogging bottoms and a t-shirt. 'You know how to take a girl's eyes you know that handsome?'

'How so?'

'Well if it isn't the tight jeans that lead imagination then its tops that tell the whole story.' She said with a smile and went to the bedroom door.

'Baby girl?'

'Mm?'

'I really meant all I said back there, I wouldn't have been happy dying in there without protecting you.'

'I know, but we got out so are you happier?'

'If I can keep protecting you.'

'Well you make me feel protected so come on I'm starved, I want some proper food.' She opened the door and a smell wafted in. 'And from that I'm guessing your mom's cooking?' Derek smiled, lapping up the smell; they followed it and found Hotch and Fran in the kitchen. 'Morning boss man, Mrs Morgan.'

'Call me Fran Dear... how did you both sleep?' Fran asked with a smile.

'Like a baby.' They said in unison and laughed, Hotch watched as Derek pulled Penelope closed, gently, not tight, not reminiscent of what had happened and kissed her hair, he watched Derek close his eyes as he inhaled deeply and drew his attention back to the room. 'So breakfast?'

'Yeah I'm starved.'

'Well, we have everything, so sit.' Hotch told them, reminding himself to ring Rossi about the Strauss issue that was bound to arise. 'Enjoy.' He said as they all sat down and the ravenous pair delved in. 'You weren't joking.'

'Hospital food isn't all it's cut out to be.'

'Cardboard.' Penelope said as she took a slip of her drink. 'It just doesn't hit the spot and tastes like cardboard.'

'Hotch...' Derek started. 'We need to discuss something.'

'I have Rossi onto Strauss.' Hotch told them to take away their worry.

'It's not to do with Strauss Hotch.' Penelope corrected him. 'It's to do with us, and what happened.'

'Right...' All eating stopped, attention now on the pair.

'We want to trick whoever did this... draw them out and get them.'

'No.'

'Hotch hear us out.' Derek near enough pleaded. 'I want Pen to feel safe to go out but you know she isn't going to feel that until we catch them.'

'What about the pair of you in the process? What happens if something happens to either of you?'

'That's where I step up.' Penelope told him poignantly. 'I can sort our GPS trackers for you to follow us, I have the stuff because I was going to make you have them in your watches, but we can put them on something that won't be noticed.'

'How do you mean?'

'My watch got taken.' Derek said holding his arm up that usually had a watch on. 'It'll work, plus if you aren't far behind, what harm can be had?'

'Right then, I want those trackers done today Penelope if you're up for it but that's it, I don't want you to go doing anything until I have the right amount of man power behind it all and the right confirmation from the higher powers.' He said with his boss voice on. 'Got it?'

'Yes sir.' Derek confirmed and attention went to Penelope who smiled brightly.

'Got it boss man.'


	13. Genius

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

'Right if Emily goes in one direction and Reid in the other we can test these babies out.' Penelope said as she got the correct programme up, Derek's hand on her shoulder as she began the first bout of testing. 'Go.' She confirmed and the pair left, one going left, the other right. The team stuck their attention on the map. 'See, Reid's going there, Emily's going into the bullpen.'

'Utter genius.' Hotch praised.

'Well watch this.' She clicked some buttons and new lights popped up. 'That's us lot... keep your watches with you at all time and we'll know where you are... or well I will more so than you.'

'So how about you Garcia?' Hotch asked, watching her raise her arm up, she dropped it and took one of the bracelets off.

'Someone walk to JJ's office with this please.' JJ took the bracelet and walked; they all watched a red dot blink as it moved and then retract as all 3 dots came back. 'See, simple.'

'Now test 2?'

'Well we need to find a way of putting them on us without it being noticeable.'

'How you going to do that?'

'Rossi put this in your trouser pocket and then walk wherever and then ring us.' Penelope told him, handing over a miniscule black square; Rossi complied and left the room, a couple of minutes later the phone in Penelope's office rung. 'Speak oh experimental being.'

'Never call me that again.'

'Fine! Now I'd say you were in on the left wing of the underground car park.'

'Amazing.' Rossi muttered. 'Absolutely amazing.'

'Did you ever doubt my genius?'

'It's difficult to, so I guess not.'

'Good, now up you come, I'm done using you.' She clicked the phone line off and turned in her chair. 'Well?'

'Keep one of them on your wrist, and in your pocket from the moment you've shown me how this works and then get home, you've done well, if this works out fool proof, I'm letting Strauss know and you're going to get commanded for it... this could save us a lot of problems in the future.'

'I'm computer savvy Sir, so I had to give them ago some time or another.' She told him with a sparkle in her smile. 'Now come here boss man and I'll get you acquainted.'

Nearly an hour later, Penelope and Derek walked out of the building hand in hand, the microchips in their pocket, the BAU's dirty little secret for the moment. 'So what do you want to do?'

'Let's ask your mom, see if she wants to go out for a meal or something, or you could take her out and I'll go back to mine.'

'Na uh baby, you're sticking near me until well... forever.'

'Oh I like that idea.'

'Good because it's going to happen whether you like it or not.' He said opening the car door and helping her in. 'Right let's get you home.'

'And you.' She said yawning. 'I might just head to bed.'

'With tablets.' He saw her go to object. 'No baby girl, I've seen that your ribs are playing you up so we're getting you home and to bed.'

'Okay, I'm not arguing.' She said, now she was sitting the pains she'd been so busy working and ignoring were now radiating out slowly. They hardly spoke in the car, and when it was, it was nothing to do with what had happened to them but more of the future, after these people were caught and Derek noticed how much more visibly relaxed Penelope was.

When they got out he rushed around, opened the door and helped her out he kissed her and then moved and shut the door. 'Right you on up baby girl, I'll be close following.'

'Keys?'

'Oh right.' He said and pulled them from his pocket. 'Shit.'

'What's up?'

'I dropped it.' He said and looked up from the floor. 'Go on up.' He said and she complied but halted to see if he'd found.

'Having any luck stud?' She asked and smiled as he stood up.

'Yup.' He then pushed the chip back into his pocket and smiled at her but looked panicked as he watched her features changed, the glimmer from the streetlight glinting off her widened eyes, he then felt the feel of wood connect with his head and it was down on the floor.

Penelope went to scream as she knew the two men standing over Derek but couldn't the noise enclosed in her throat as the panic fled through her veins like adrenaline did. 'Derek.' She managed to whisper as the pair stared at her with hell bent smiles on their faces. She said managed a stifled scream, that she knew had to be heard by someone, as she was grabbed from behind and a soft cloth placed over her mouth. She felt her eyes get heavier and heavier with every blink and she saw Derek begin to gain consciousness and then it was all black.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Fran's heart fastened as she heard the stifled yelp, she had no idea what it was from but it was from outside, Clooney pelted from the upstairs bedroom where she was cleaning and she went to the front bedroom, she looked out to see a black van pull up and her son and Penelope shoved into the back.

Grabbing her phone she did the one thing she knew would help better than her running outside. She stayed in the shadows and read the registration plate, memorizing it as the call rang out.

'Fran? What's up?'

'They've taken them, those microchip things that you were sorting out today had better work you need to get onto finding them as soon as and I have a...'

'Penelope and Derek have been taken?' Hotch asked stunned, his urgency escalating.

'Yes, I have the registration number of the van they were taken in, and a description.'

'Okay, Fran let me pick you up, you can really help us.'

'Of course.' She told him, trying to keep the panic from her voice as she rushed around the house, she grabbed a pad and wrote down everything she had seen, to the very last description she had of the man she'd seen. Praying it was enough to get Derek and Penelope back in time.

They'd been at the bullpen nearly 40 minutes, Hotch was trying to detain the fact that his inexperience at this new programme was causing more problem than not trudged on, they had the car number being ran, the description running through VICAP and just as Hotch was about to give up, Kevin stepped in.

'Like this Sir.' He said as he got it up. 'Two microchips found just off the highway.' He looked up; unaware of whom those two dots belonged to.

'Thank you Lynch, you just probably saved two lives... let go.' He thanked and then ordered, a new demeanour taking over. 'Mrs Morgan, thank you for your help, we'll ring when we have news.'

Kevin then grasped what had happened and watched at the 5 members of the team left with extra assistance, this was a mission to not be reckoned with was his thought as they disappeared.


	14. Over

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

----------------------------------------------------

Penelope was awoken with a jolt as a foot connected with her side and she couldn't help but cough as the wind escaped her lungs, soon her eyes adjusted just as another blow was issued, then her mind caught up as she lay there gasping for air. She heard the shuffle of feet around her, the sound of Derek being held back. Then someone grabbed her hair and made her look up and Derek's aggression flared.

'So how was it having life back?' Penelope struggled to breath around the pains, let alone construct a verbal answer but he tightened his grip and his jaw clenched as he gritted his teeth together. 'Do you love the man behind me?' Penelope nodded her head. 'Say it!'

'Y-yes!' She said and he dropped her with brute force against the floor, taking the little air she was gaining straight from her lungs again. She looked up when she heard a scuffle and saw that Derek had broken free from the men, he got a couple of punches in before they took him down. 'Stop it! Leave him alone!' Penelope pleaded and the men listened and they left the room with the two women that had stood docile at the door.

When she was sure they were alone she crawled to Derek and touched his cut cheek, tears welling up more so for seeing him hurt than getting hurt herself. 'I'm okay.' He told her as he saw the threatening tears.

'Like hell you are.' She retorted unconvinced. Then she stiffened as the door opened, she gingerly looked and was then dragged away from Derek. He quickly stood but was grabbed by two men instead of one, evident that the men had had a chat about what to do. Now as he fought against the hold from the men, he watched as Penelope was slammed against the wall furthest from him, the lead male near enough grinding against her with his close proximity, one of his hands against her throat. She recoiled in horror as the man ran the other hand up her thigh, she closed her eyes, transporting herself to somewhere else but she couldn't help but whimper.

'I should make you the third women with us, you'd be perfect.'

'No she wouldn't be.' Hotch's voice reverberated through the room as the nuzzle of the gun pushed into the man's head. 'Let her go.' The man's grip tightened on Penelope's front before he was pulled away and she slumped down coughing against the fight for more air. 'Penelope look at me.' Hotch's voice spoke again, this time in a different tone of voice.

'Derek?' She croaked as she put her head back against the warm as the safe familiarity of Hotch's voice buzzed around her head. 'Is he okay?'

'I'm fine baby.' Derek said kneeling down next to her, taking her hand in his. 'Come on; let's get you out of here.'

'Look at you.' She said her voice clearing as she looked over Derek.

'I'll heal mama.' He told her with a smirk and she allowed Hotch and Derek to help her stand up, not without hearing a couple of gritted moans as they escaped into her lips as the pains trickled in.

'I think the hospital then home.'

'Hotch...' Penelope whined clearer now that the air was in sufficient levels in her lungs.

'No way Garcia. You and Morgan need checking over, and I'm seeing that it happens.' He saw her pout at him. 'Where else do you want to go then?'

'Fran's at the BAU isn't she?' Derek looked at Hotch as he nodded his head. 'Well then we need to go get her.'

'We'll get someone to pick her up.'

'I'm going to bet her own son being there to get her would work out better.' Penelope reasoned and saw him pull his face in thought. 'Look her son got taken Hotch, twice in fact.' She spoke as though Derek wasn't there with her. 'So I'm guessing she's trying to keep a lid on her worry, give her Derek and then we'll go home.'

'You're priceless you know that?'

'No I'm not.'

'You are baby girl, but let's get us checked out before we go there; you took quite a beating in there.'

'So did you.'

'You both did, hence why I'm babysitting you both to the hospital and if one doctor says you need to stay overnight, that's it, you're staying in.'

'Hotch...' They both moaned together as they got to awaiting SUV.

'No arguments!' He said sternly and smirked as they back down. Now he had to put that threat into action, he knew this would prove harder than ever.

Nearly 2 hours they were leaving the hospital, Hotch red in the face, Derek and Penelope hand in hand. Penelope giggled as she looked at him, she only did it gently so not to make too much pain and prove the boss right.

'What's up boss man?' She asked innocently.

'One day, I'm going to pull rank so much that no computer is going to help you.'

'What my charm not enough now that I need computers to help?'

'Oh you and your computers are part of the Penelope Garcia charm package.' He told her in a near mutter. 'The doctor says overnight observation so you get discharged.'

'He also said that it was a _precaution_, thus, I don't need to stick around in a dinky place like that when I can _rest_ up at home with the _precautions_ at the ready.' Penelope retorted putting thick emphasis on a couple of her wordings.

'Derek why didn't you force her to stay in?'

'Because I know that she'll get better rest at home.' Derek said and saw Hotch give up. 'Oh come on Hotch, you know we're right, and I can bet you've made a deal with the devil and are going to be around.'

'Yes around for too long to make sure you two get the word recovery correctly for once.' He told them with a smirk. They pulled up at the BAU, and walked in, Derek made Penelope sit down and not move while he went and got his mom from the conference room.

'Mom.' He said as he came up behind her, she turned and burst into tears. 'Oh come here ma!' He said gathering her up in his arms. 'I'm okay see.'

'I almost lost you again.' She said into his chest.

'I know you did but I'm back, a little tender but I'm here and that's all that matters.'

'And Penelope?'

'More worse for wear but we both got out.' He told her with a smile. 'I want to introduce you to the woman I know I'm going to marry.'

'Derek...' She gasped joyously. 'How can you be so sure?'

'I think I've always known but been ignorant and taken for granted everything that's been right in front of me all along.' He told her proudly and unambiguous with his tone of voice. 'She's loved me since we met, she didn't pity me when my past came out and she confided in me mom on so many occasions and back there, when we were together, I would've given my all to get her out and make her life complete because I'm in love.'

'It's good to see you realise that baby.' Fran told her son happily. 'That woman certainly loves you more than you'll ever know that's for sure.'

'She probably loves me more than I deserve but she does and she makes me whole.'

'Come on then... let's go then.' Fran told him and they left the conference room and went towards Derek's desk, he felt slightly worried to see Penelope slumped over, head in her arms. 'Is she okay?'

'I'm fine.' Penelope's voice spoke out slightly muffled.

'What's up then baby?' Derek said crouching down. 'Pains?' He asked as she sat up. 'Tired?'

'Spot on handsome, I just want tablets, a bath and bed.' She said with a smile, as she assessed the bruising now becoming apparent on his cheek.

'Well I can give all the above, if you can meet my mom first.'

'I already have.'

'Properly?' He said and stood and took her hand as she stood up. 'Mom, this is Penelope, my baby girl, the woman that got me through all of this and the woman I love.' Penelope blushed at his words. 'Pen, my mom, the woman I admire most.'

'I had better hear Fran from you Penelope.'

'It's lovely to meet you Fran.' Penelope said with a large smile on her face. 'You brought a good son here.'

'I can't be held solely responsible for it and its lovely to meet you too.' Fran said honestly.

'Penelope...' Kevin's voice came from the right of them, right by the doors. 'Oh thank God they got you back.' He said and pulled her from Derek's side so he could hug her, he let got when she gasped. 'I'm so sorry for everything Pen.'

'Kevin... we can't go on like we were. I just can't, not after everything.'

He looked down disappointed. 'I understand I was a jerk, and that I accept that we can never have what we had so friendship at least?' He looked up to see Penelope crying, a smile on her face. 'Penelope?' She then engulfed him in a hug before pulling away.

'I'd love you friendship.' She said and Hoch and Derek went to pounce. 'BUT...' She started and they settled at her sides. 'You dare do that to me ever again and I'll make sure you pay for it.'

'I knew that much would happen.' He said with a laugh. 'I know it's going to take a while for you to trust me again but I'm willing to wait.'

'And for that I'm willing to make you work for it.' She joked with him, and then looked to Derek. 'Can we go now?'

'Of course we can baby girl.' Derek took her hand. 'We'll see you soon Kevin.'

'You will do.' Kevin said with a genuine happiness if not full with saddened tones, he then left once everyone had left the bull pen.

They all ended up surrounded around one SUV, JJ and Emily over hugging the returned pairs before everyone said their goodbyes and pushed off home. Fran and Penelope got into the back and Hotch was adamant on staying at Derek's.

'Hotch.' He called out as they reached for their doors.

'Yeah?'

'Can you and Rossi talk to Strauss or sort out a transfer please?'

'No transfer, but will strike another deal with the devil.'

'Thanks, plus do you know anything about rings?' He asked with a cheeky grin.

'I know a thing or two.' Hotch said opening the door and getting in. 'I'll make sure she'll listen to us.'

'What are you two up to?'

'Oh nothing... but it'll make you very happy baby girl.' Derek said as he put his seatbelt on, and smiled at Penelope with a smile he knew she loved and she turned like putty in his hands, so she flashed a smile back gaining the same reaction.

Now after all the secrets were spilt, they had what they wanted and a stronger bond than anyone would ever know. For reasons unknown them being taken was a wakeup call, an omen of sorts and it was the best thing that had happened to them.


End file.
